With its unique flavour, Goa sausages are incredibly delicious, making them so versatile and often used to perk up a dish instantly. What makes this pulao tasty, irresistible and aromatic is the inclusion of these piquant Goa sausages. A popular rice dish cooked and relished in Goan households. Comforting, a meal by itself which I have served with salad and mango water pickle.

Have you tried making pulao with Goa sausages and ended up in a greasy mess? Here is the ultimate recipe for chouriço pulao. First, the sausage meat is separately cooked and then placed in a sieve over a bowl to drain off any fat. Judging by the amount of fat drained (picture below), you can choose to cook the rice with it or use fresh oil. I prefer the latter as the pulao is not overpowering with pork fat. With the sausages made at home which are amazing on its own, the combination of rice with the spicy meat is a heavenly delight. Eating a morsel at a time and savouring every bite was enjoyable and unforgettable.

Can you substitute Goa sausages with other chorizo or sausages? Yes you can, but the rice dish will definitely differ in flavour. Recipe for Goa Sausages can be found here.

Method:Remove sausage meat from the casing and cook on medium heat with 1 cup water till moisture completely absorbed. Place meat in a sieve over a bowl for the fat to drain. (Note: Around 2 tablespoons of fat was drained out which can be used in the rice or kept aside to flavour other dishes. I did not use this fat to make the pulao. If you do use the fat, reduce the amount of oil by 2 tablespoons.) ​Wash and soak rice in water for 30 minutes.

In a large wide-bottomed pan, heat the oil and add onions along with the bay leaf, peppercorns, cloves, cardamoms and cinnamon sticks. When onions are light brown, add the turmeric powder and tomato. Once the tomato is soft and pulpy, melt the bouillon cubes in the pan completely. Drain off the water from the rice and stir in the rice till well coated and glossy.

Pour 3 1/2 cups hot water and gently mix in the sausage meat. Close pan with the lid and on medium heat, let the rice cook till you will see holes in the rice with little liquid left at the bottom of the pan. At this time, shut off the flame, give a gentle stir and close the lid tight. Do not touch or open for 15 minutes. The rice will absorb the remaining moisture. Lift the cover after the indicated time. Each grain of rice will be firm, cooked and separated. With a fork, gently move the top grains around to moisten them. Serve pulao hot.

Note:

With the sausage meat and bouillon cubes, no salt was required for this dish. You can add salt if required, according to your taste.

The rice to water ratio for every 1 cup of rice is 2 cups of water. I always add 1/2 cup less water. The reason being that the rice is soaked for 30 minutes so it does not require the extra 1/2 cup.

India Gate Rozzana basmati rice was used for making this sausage pulao. The grains are quite long and fragrant.

Always use a wide-bottomed pan to cook pulao. This gives the rice grains enough room to spread and bloom.

The sausage pulao can be cooked in a pressure cooker or prepared the way I cooked the prawn and clam pulao dishes. Recipe links provided below.